Full Circle

April 20th, 2018

In the spring of 2014, nearly 1600 4th-grade students took to the Carpenter Theater stage to dance the story of Jamestown. This spring, 11 of those same dancers—now 8th-graders and members of the Minds in Motion Ambassadors—will return to the stage for their final Minds in Motion show: Jamestown.

Thinking back to your very first Minds in Motion class: “I thought it was…”

“Honestly, I thought that I would not know what I was doing at all, but then, after the first class, I was like ‘I can do this, this is pretty cool.” –Edgar

“I thought it was like, kinda weird at first…I didn’t think I was gonna like it, ‘cuz my brother didn’t like it.” –Mason

“It was a really different experience for me—I’d never done something like this before, so getting into it was really fun.” –Jackson

You did Jamestown your first Minds in Motion year. What’s it like revisiting the topic for your last year?

“So, when I found out we were doing Jamestown, it took me back to when I was on the bus going back to school after the performance, and I was crying because I wanted to keep on doing it.” -Kenyon

“I think it’s pretty cool, and a way to end our Minds in Motion ‘career.’ It kindof shows how much we’ve grown, because we did it in 4th grade and we watched the 8th graders and were like ‘Oh my Gosh, they’re so awesome…And now it’s us being the awesome 8th-graders.’” -Jeddah

“I thought it was kindof fun that we started with what we’re ending with. And also, I remember the 4th-graders watching the [Ambassadors] doing their “Starving Time” dance: I thought it was so amazing and so cool, and I think it’s really fun that now we get to be those people the 4th-graders look up to.” –Ainsley

Four years as an MiM Ambassador is a long time—this is basically your fifth year of Minds in Motion. What is it that’s made you want to keep doing this?

“For me, it was definitely the people that I met…and it’s just such a unique experience that you can’t get anywhere else.” –Ainsley

“A sense of family, almost…It really did help me a lot, transition from elementary school to middle school, because everything was changing, and every Thursday I could come here, and it would be the same and it wasn’t so scary.” -Jeddah

“The hard work, the dedication, the people, the teachers: everything that comes in your life when you do this program.” -Jackson

“I feel like I’ve grown up here. I’ve been here since 4th grade, basically: I’ve grown up with Jordan and Cat and Rachel, and all of [my teammates], so I guess everybody just made me want to stay another year.” –Rachel

Being an MiM Ambassador is a big time commitment. Have you ever had trouble juggling MiM with other activities?

“I was going to try everything…and for some reason they all decided to meet on Thursdays [Ambassador rehearsal day]…It is hard to put Minds in Motion over everything sometimes.” –Olivia

“Yes…Everything is on Thursday at my school—it’s the most annoying thing.” –Jeddah

“I did soccer in 6th and 7th grades, and there was a lot of performances on Saturdays, which is when our games were, and always have to like, choose one.” -Mason

What’s the coolest thing about being an MiM Ambassador, or the coolest opportunity being an Ambassador has given you?

“My favorite part of every year is meeting all the new 4th-graders…you really create a bond with them. …I think it’s really cool that I had the ability as an Ambassador to reach out, make a connection, and then continue the longevity of that connection.” -Olivia

“We get to do things that kids normally don’t do…we always perform in the city of Richmond. We get to go to New York.” -Kenyon

“You get to be apart from the people at your school—you go around, you’re a performer.”-Jeddah